arXiv subjects

J. P. Noordmans

Publications and source records attributed to J. P. Noordmans.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

Cosmic-ray fermion decay through tau-antitau emission with Lorentz violation

We study CPT and Lorentz violation in the tau-lepton sector of the Standard Model in the context of the Standard-Model Extension, described by a coefficient which is thus far unbounded by experiment. We show that any non-zero value of this coefficient implies that, for sufficiently large energies, standard-model fermions become unstable against decay due to the emission of a pair of tau-antitau leptons. We calculate the induced fermion energy-loss rate and we deduce the first limit on the Lorentz- and CPT-violating coefficient.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

CPT and Lorentz violation en the Photon and $Z$-boson sector

CPT and Lorentz violation in the photon sector is described within the minimal Standard-Model Extension by a dimension-3 Chern-Simons-like operator parametrized by a four-vector parameter $k_{AF}$ that has been very tightly bounded by astrophysical observations. On the other hand, in the context of the $SU(2)\times U(1)$ electroweak gauge sector of the Standard-Model Extension, CPT and Lorentz violation is described similarly, by dimension-3 operators parametrized by four-vector parameters $k_1$ and $k_2$. In this work, we investigate in detail the effects of the resulting CPT and Lorentz violation in the photon and $Z$-boson sectors upon electroweak-symmetry breaking. In particular, we show that for the photon sector the relevant Lorentz-violating effects are described at lowest order by the $k_{AF}$ term, but that there are higher-order momentum-dependent effects due to photon-$Z$ boson mixing. As bounds on CPT and Lorentz violation in the $Z$ sector are relatively weak, these effects could be important phenomenologically. We investigate these effects in detail in this work.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Cosmic-ray fermion decay by emission of on-shell W bosons with CPT violation

We study CPT and Lorentz violation in the electroweak gauge sector of the Standard Model in the context of the Standard-Model Extension. In particular, we consider the Lorentz-violating and CPT-odd Chern-Simons like parameter for the W boson, which is thus far unbounded by experiment. We demonstrate that any non-zero value of this parameter implies that, for sufficiently large energies, one of the polarization modes of the W boson propagates with spacelike four-momentum. In this scenario, emission of W bosons by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays is possible. We calculate the induced fermion energy-loss rate and we deduce the first limit on the pertinent Lorentz- and CPT-violating parameter that couples to the W boson. Consistency between the quantum description in various reference frames is preserved by using a recently formulated covariant quantization procedure for massive photons and applying it to the W bosons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Gluonic Lorentz violation and chiral perturbation theory

By applying chiral-perturbation-theory methods to the QCD sector of the Lorentz-violating Standard-Model Extension, we investigate Lorentz violation in the strong interactions. In particular, we consider the CPT-even pure-gluon operator of the minimal Standard-Model Extension. We construct the lowest-order chiral effective Lagrangian for three as well as two light quark flavors. We develop the power-counting rules and construct the heavy-baryon chiral-perturbation-theory Lagrangian, which we use to calculate Lorentz-violating contributions to the nucleon self energy. Using the constructed effective operators, we derive the first stringent limits on many of the components of the relevant Lorentz-violating parameter. We also obtain the Lorentz-violating nucleon-nucleon potential. We suggest that this potential may be used to obtain new limits from atomic-clock or deuteron storage-ring experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Covariant Quantization of CPT-violating Photons

We perform the covariant canonical quantization of the CPT- and Lorentz-symmetry-violating photon sector of the minimal Standard-Model Extension, which contains a general (timelike, lightlike, or spacelike) fixed background tensor $k_{AF}^μ$. Well-known stability issues, arising from complex-valued energy states, are solved by introducing a small photon mass, orders of magnitude below current experimental bounds. We explicitly construct a covariant basis of polarization vectors, in which the photon field can be expanded. We proceed to derive the Feynman propagator and show that the theory is microcausal. Despite the occurrence of negative energies and vacuum-Cherenkov radiation, we do not find any runaway stability issues, because the energy remains bounded from below. An important observation is that the ordering of the roots of the dispersion relations is the same in any observer frame, which allows for a frame-independent condition that selects the correct branch of the dispersion relation. This turns out to be critical for the consistency of the quantization. To our knowledge, this is the first system for which quantization has consistently been performed, in spite of the fact that the theory contains negative energies in some observer frames.

hep-th↗

arXiv2016

Tests of Lorentz and CPT symmetry with hadrons and nuclei

We explore the breaking of Lorentz and CPT invariance in strong interactions at low energy in the framework of chiral perturbation theory. Starting from the set of Lorentz-violating operators of mass-dimension five with quark and gluon fields, we construct the effective chiral Lagrangian with hadronic and electromagnetic interactions induced by these operators. We develop the power-counting scheme and discuss loop diagrams and the one-pion-exchange nucleon-nucleon potential. The effective chiral Lagrangian is the basis for calculations of low-energy observables with hadronic degrees of freedom. As examples, we consider clock-comparison experiments with nuclei and spin-precession experiments with nucleons in storage rings. We derive strict limits on the dimension-five tensors that quantify Lorentz and CPT violation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Test of Lorentz invariance in $β$ decay of polarized $^{20}\text{Na}$

We search for a dependence of the lifetime of $^{20}\text{Na}$ nuclei on the nuclear spin direction. Such a directional dependence would be evidence for Lorentz-invariance violation in weak interactions. A difference in lifetime between nuclei that are polarized in the east and west direction is searched for. This difference is maximally sensitive to the rotation of the Earth, while the sidereal dependence is free from most systematic errors. The experiment sets a limit of $2\times 10^{-4}$ at 90 % C.L. on the amplitude of the sidereal variation of the relative lifetime differences, an improvement by a factor 15 compared to an earlier result.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2016

Testing Lorentz Symmetry using Chiral Perturbation Theory

We consider the low-energy effects of a selected set of Lorentz- and CPT-violating quark and gluon operators by deriving the corresponding chiral effective lagrangian. Using this effective lagrangian, low-energy hadronic observables can be calculated. We apply this to magnetometer experiments and derive the best bounds on some of the Lorentz-violating coefficients. We point out that progress can be made by studying the nucleon-nucleon potential, and by considering storage-ring experiments for deuterons and other light nuclei.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Question of Lorentz invariance in muon decay

Possibilities to test the Lorentz invariance of the weak interaction in muon decay are considered. We derive the direction-dependent muon-decay rate with a general Lorentz-violating addition to the W-boson propagator. We discuss measurements of the directional and boost dependence of the Michel parameters and of the muon lifetime as a function of absolute velocity. The total muon-decay rate in the Lorentz-violating Standard Model Extension is addressed. Suggestions are made for dedicated (re)analyses of the pertinent data and for future experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Limits on Lorentz violation from charged-pion decay

Charged-pion decay offers many opportunities to study Lorentz violation. Using an effective field theory approach, we study Lorentz violation in the lepton, W-boson, and quark sectors and derive the differential pion-decay rate, including muon polarization. Using coordinate redefinitions we are able to relate the first-generation quark sector, in which no bounds were previously reported, to the lepton and W-boson sector. This facilitates a tractable calculation, enabling us to place bounds on the level of $10^{-4}$ on first-generation quark parameters. Our expression for the pion-decay rate can be used to constrain Lorentz violation in future experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Exploration of Lorentz violation in neutral-kaon decay

The KLOE collaboration recently reported bounds on the directional dependence of the lifetime of the short-lived neutral kaon $K^0_S$ with respect to the dipole anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background. We interpret their results in an effective field theory framework developed to probe the violation of Lorentz invariance in the weak interaction and previously applied to semileptonic processes, in particular $β$ decay. In this approach a general Lorentz-violating tensor $χ^{μν}$ is added to the standard propagator of the $W$ boson. We perform an exploratory study of the prospects to search for Lorentz violation in nonleptonic decays. For the kaon, we find that the sensitivity to Lorentz violation is limited by the velocity of the kaons and by the extent to which hadronic effects can be calculated. In a simple model we derive the $K^0_S$ decay rate and calculate the asymmetry for the lifetime. Using the KLOE data, limits on the values of $χ^{μν}$ are determined.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Lorentz violation in neutron and allowed nuclear beta decay

We explore the possibility that the weak interaction violates Lorentz, and in particular rotational, invariance in neutron and allowed nuclear beta decay. A broad class of Lorentz-violating effects is considered, in which the standard propagator of the W-boson acquires an additional Lorentz-violating tensor. The general decay rate for allowed beta decay that incorporates such a modified propagator is derived. The resulting Lorentz-violating signals are discussed for the different types of beta-decay transitions, Fermi, Gamow-Teller, and mixed. We study the implications of our formalism for dedicated beta-decay experiments. We give a short overview of the few relevant experiments that have been performed or are ongoing.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Nuclear beta decay with Lorentz violation

We consider the possibility of Lorentz-invariance violation in weak-decay processes. We present a general approach that entails modifying the W-boson propagator by adding a Lorentz-violating tensor to it. We describe the effects of Lorentz violation on nuclear beta decay in this scenario. In particular we show the expression for a first-forbidden transition with a spin change of two. Using data from an old experiment on the rotational invariance of yttrium-90, we derive several bounds on the Lorentz-violating parameters of the order of 10^(-6)-10^(-8).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

First Test of Lorentz Invariance in the Weak Decay of Polarized Nuclei

A new test of Lorentz invariance in the weak interactions has been made by searching for variations in the decay rate of spin-polarized 20Na nuclei. This test is unique to Gamow-Teller transitions, as was shown in the framework of a recently developed theory that assumes a Lorentz symmetry breaking background field of tensor nature. The nuclear spins were polarized in the up and down direction, putting a limit on the amplitude of sidereal variations of the form |(Γ_{up} - Γ_{down})| / (Γ_{up} + Γ_{down}) < 3 * 10^{-3}. This measurement shows a possible route toward a more detailed testing of Lorentz symmetry in weak interactions.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2013

Limits on Lorentz violation from forbidden beta decays

Forbidden (slow) beta decays offer new opportunities to test the invariance of the weak interaction under Lorentz transformations. Within a general effective field theory framework we analyze and reinterpret the only two relevant experiments, performed in the 1970s, dedicated to search for a preferred direction in space in first- and second-forbidden beta decays. We show that the results of these experiments put strong and unique limits on Lorentz violation, and in particular on the presence of several interactions in the modern Lorentz-violating Standard Model extension. We discuss prospects to improve on these limits.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

A new approach to test Lorentz invariance

Lorentz invariance in the weak interaction has been tested rather poorly compared to the electromagnetic interaction. In this work we show which tests on the weak interaction should be considered. We focus on one particular test that explores the spin degree of freedom in β decay. To connect various phenomenological tests of Lorentz invariance in the weak interaction, we exploit a new theoretical model that may provide a framework that relates the different tests.

nucl-ex↗